1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an object detection device and a remote sensing apparatus and, more particularly, to an object detection device for detecting an object and a remote sensing apparatus including the object detection device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Object detection devices for detecting presence/absence of an object and the distance to the object have been actively developed in recent years.
For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. H7-072239 discloses a laser ranging apparatus including a laser light source, a rotating polygon mirror, a nodding mechanism, a light condenser, and a detector. The rotating polygon mirror reflects transmitter laser light emitted from the laser light source toward a target while rotating about a rotation shaft to move the transmitting laser light in a rotating direction of the polygon mirror. The nodding mechanism swings the rotation shaft of the rotating polygon mirror in a direction to tilt, thereby shifting the transmitter laser light, which is moving in the rotating direction, in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction. The light condenser receives receiver laser light reflected from the target via the rotating polygon mirror. The detector converts the receiver laser light passed through the light condenser into electrical signals.
However, such a conventional object detection device as that described above is disadvantageous in posing difficulty in achieving compact construction and enhancing flexibility.
Under the circumstances, there is a need for an object detection device capable of not only achieving compact construction but also enhancing flexibility.
It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve the problem in the conventional technology.